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Accelerating profitability for a multi‑market marketplace platform
In a highly competitive landscape, scalable technology and cost efficiency are critical to growth. Netlight performed a Technical Due Diligence as well as a product assessment of a multi‑market Asian classifieds platform to evaluate its product and technology, designing a modernisation and consolidation program that strengthens the backbone for scale while unlocking substantial recurring savings and EBITDA impact.
About the client
A classifieds business operating across several Asian markets with approximately €100M in annual revenue. The investor aimed to optimise the business to improve margins and fuel continued growth.
Challenge
The client needed a clear, data‑backed view of the platform’s technical health, product competitiveness, and operating model across markets, along with a practical plan to modernise, consolidate, and reduce running costs without disrupting growth. They also required deeper insight into customer needs to prioritise the product roadmap.
Solution
Netlight conducted a Technical Due Diligence and an extensive product assessment. The approach included benchmarking UX and features against domestic and international competitors, running 20+ stakeholder interviews, and conducting a customer survey to understand needs and pain points. Netlight reviewed the organisation, technology stack, and operating costs to identify optimisation opportunities.
Based on the findings, Netlight recommended €17M in one‑time investments to modernise and consolidate the technical landscape, simplifying platforms, reducing redundancies, and establishing shared capabilities that provide a robust backbone for scalable growth. Netlight also defined a sequenced roadmap and governance model to capture savings and support ongoing innovation.
Impact
- Identified €17M in annual cost savings, partially enabled by the recommended one‑time investments.
- Established a €17M modernisation and consolidation program to strengthen the technical foundation and support continued multi‑market growth.
- Pinpointed priority product and UX gaps versus domestic and international competitors, informing a focused roadmap.
- Brought customer insights into decision‑making through survey results, aligning features to client needs.
- Delivered organisational and operating model recommendations to streamline execution across markets.
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